Cosmetic Surgery Options

The stigma of cosmetic surgery has disipated over the last decade. At one time people laughed at actresses who tried to look younger, or improve their body. Now, no one thinks twice about it, whether it is a tummy tuck for a woman who has lost her weight to childbearing, or a teen who wants a nose job.

The fact is, a lot of Cosmetic Surgery proceedures cost less than a vacation and last a life time. They also do more to boost the moral. But - you must be careful.



Only work with reputable cosmetic surgeons - who are certified by your country. Do not believe any hype, and get references.

We were all touched at the grammies when the singer fell to his knees, singing to his mother who died one day after a surgical proceedure. It later came out that this doctor was not 'up to par.'

It is usually easy to tell from a website which cosmetic surgeons to 'cut from the A list.' The site listed in this article offers lots of information, outlines their proceedure (more importantly, it doesn't promise to do them all), and it talks about their credentials. Call the credentials and ask questions - this should be the first step for anyone considering plastic surgery.

The next step is to visit the center. I like the fact that the clinic in this ad has a 5 step proceedure including post-surgery meetings.

There are more articles on plastic surgery in this blog. I chose them because they offer 'real' advice for potential patients. This should be one of the best experiences, a life changing, or emotional boosting, 'treat' that you give yourself.

What is Brachytherapy?

There are several ways of giving radiation dosage to a cancerous tumor. The most common method is to deliver the required dosage from an external beam of radiation produced outside the body. In this case the source of radiation beam is located 80-100 cm from the body of the person receiving radiation. Sometimes placing the source of radiation within the tumor might have advantages over delivering radiation from an external source. This method of delivering required radiation from an internal source embedded within the tumor is called brachytherapy.

If you are aware of the inverse square law in physics you would know the dosage of radiation therapy delivery changes by a great proportion depending upon the distance of the radiation source to the intended target. In brachytherapy the source of radiation is within the tumor volume and the proper placement of these sources of radiation within the tumor is of crucial importance.

There are several radioactive isotopes used in the brachytherapy. These include radium-226, cesium-137, cobalt-60, iridium192, iodine-125, gold-198 and palladium-103. Radium has a longer half-life compared to some of the other radioactive isotopes. In the past radium was the primary isotope used in brachytherapy, but recently radium has been largely replaced by cesium, gold and iridium, which have relatively shorter half-life and lower energies and because of this the radiation from these isotopes can be easily shielded.

Brachytherapy can be delivered with devices known as implants. These devices may be in the form of needles or seeds or ribbons. Brachytherapy can be delivered with permanent or temporary implants. These implants might be temporary or permanent. Temporary implants usually have a longer half-life and higher energies compared to the permanent implants. All temporary implants are inserted into the tumor during surgery. The duration of treatment for the temporary implant is usually 1-3 days.

Interstitial low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy is usually used for cancers involving the mouth and oral cavity, pharynx. This mode of treatment is often used in the treatment of sarcomas. Prostate cancer treatment is the most common form of LDR brachytherapy using seeds. Uterine cancer is the most common application of intracavitary LDR treatment. These patients are often isolated to prevent radiation exposure to nursing and other supportive staff during the care of the person.

The most common uses of high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy includes treatment of esophageal cancer, lung cancer and recently breast cancer and prostate cancer. Most HDR treatments are done as outpatient procedures allowing the patients to return to home the same day as treatment. Patients who are receiving treatment for prostate cancer is an exception who may remain in the hospital for 2-3 days during the treatment.



Author of this article is a freelance health information writer. Author contributes articles to various websites including Medicineworld. You may read more about prostate Prostate cancer at this webpage.


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Common Pitfalls of Plastic Surgery

Common pitfalls of plastic surgery are those involving before and after pictures with photographic tricks or attractive models instead of the surgeon's patients, that are publicly displayed in printed ads, online advertisement or broadcasted by TV, audio-visual or specific tele-shopping and infomercials.

Before and after pictures are useful to help you make the decision to have cosmetic surgery when they are real, but not advisable as criteria to select a surgeon, since no ethical surgeon can guarantee results this way, but if so, be sure to get his promises in writing.

Fake testimonials implying that anyone can get these results of people sharing their experiences may only be a marketing plan whether viewed on TV, through the internet, heard on the radio or at the surgeon's office; they have a powerful influence in the patient's final decision. Pitfalls can not be easily detected due to the impossibility to verify the authenticity of any given testimonial or the identity of the "happy patients".

Because the purpose of testimonials are considered to be a way to solicit patients, most professional societies and State medical boards prohibit the use of testimonials to advertise Plastic Surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) considers this marketing tool a violation to the code of ethics of 97% of certified surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, members of ASPS.

Impressive sounding surgeon's credentials or a plastic surgery procedure that does not name the surgeon may be listed as pitfalls of plastic surgery. While it is obvious to expect that a surgeon has the proper training, credentials and experience to provide the plastic surgery procedure or service you are seeking, remember that many physicians may call themselves plastic surgeons or cosmetic surgeons with training. In fact, in most states any physician may perform any procedure without peer scrutiny and no training requirements.

Since there are no requirements that the physician be is a trained surgeon, anyone may claim to be a board-certified surgeon simply by joining a sound-a-like organization, but the true meaning is that The American Society of Plastic Surgeons enforces one of the most rigorous ethical codes in the medical profession, so the best way to find out a surgeon's facts is consulting only surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Other pitfalls of plastic surgery are those offering dramatic results with superficial treatments, minimal or non-invasive procedures, no risk or little risk and downtime as well as a variety of products, procedures or manipulations without mention of the doctor's qualification, board certification or his/her specialty. These promises are designed more for marketing reasons than a real therapeutic value.

These individual procedures may be inexpensive, but offers only little or temporal improvement, so it is necessary for multiple sessions before seeing positive results, raising in the mean time the costs, often comparable to the total cost of the plastic surgery. Non surgical procedures with high tech names suggest new approaches to youthful appearance and the expectation of major effectiveness.

All these issues make it difficult for patients to separate plastic surgery hype from reality.
About the Author
Matthew Leo is the publisher of http://www.CosmeticEnhancement.info, http://www.AcneMedicine.info and http://www.ADietGuide.com websites



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Living With Food Related Diseases

Plastic Surgery Should Heal Body and Spirit

The success of shows such as "Dr. 90210" and "Nip/Tuck," have made cosmetic surgery popular, with 11.5 million procedures and growing, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Plastic surgeons are claiming that the number of procedures they do is doubling each year.

However, these shows do not paint a realistic picture of the plastic surgery world or paint an accurate assessment of patient expectations. In the shows, the surgery makes people beautiful, improves relationships, and perfects people’s lives. This is an unrealistic expectation.

In fact, spending weeks in pain, and months healing, can be detrimental to a relationship.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates an increase of 444 percent in the number of procedures since 1997.

Edward A. Pechter, a plastic surgeon who practices in Valencia, said when he opened 24 years ago in Santa Clarita, he focused on reconstruction work. However, the past few years has seen an increase in aesthetic surgery with 400 to 500 new patients a year. Much of this is repeat clients looking for different procedures.

He said there are several new things in the field of plastic surgery.

"Liposuction's been around for about 20 years," he said. "Now it's the most common operation nationally."

Hu said that requests for breast augmentation have changed. Twenty years ago, a woman in her mid-30s would request the procedure. Now a woman requests the procedure in her mid-20s.

Many women feel that looking good will improve their chances of obtaining a promotion or landing a good job. This is not true. While having the right look may sway the decision between two equally qualified professionals, plastic surgery will not blind an employer to a person’s lack of social skills, toxic communication blunders, emotional abuse, or lack of skills.

Although there are those who would happily provide any surgery requested, irregardless of the emotional and physical repercussions, there are surgeons who are concerned about the reasons people go under the knife.

Many people undergo weight loss plastic surgery to improve the way they look, and to improve relationships. Teresa Morris, a psychologist in Valencia, said:

"While they feel good about it, it doesn't improve relationships."

She does not advocate having plastic surgery done to please someone else.

"Turning them away ... is the best thing," she said.

Unfortunately, few people will listen to the surgeon’s advice. Many people just turn away from the experts and head to someone who does not have their best interests in mind. This increases the chances of them becoming a victim of a well-meaning, but inexperienced, clinic.

Pechter adds that people often have unrealistic expectations of what the surgeon can do for them. A common misconception is that liposuction is a cure for being overweight. This is not true. While plastic surgery can reduce a person’s weight, they will start gaining weight immediately if they have not learned how to control their eating habits.

However, neither doctors deny that cosmetic procedures will help make a person feel better about themselves.

Hu said that plastic surgery should improve self-confidence.

"Surgery should not just heal the body," he said. "It should buoy the spirit."

Exercise Caution When Choosing a Plastic Surgeon

A plastic surgeon expert witness told a tribunal in New Zealand last week that a woman was left with a grossly disfigured right breast, unsightly scarring, gross distortion of the pubic area and unimpressive results from the liposuction. She lost her left nipple and belly button two weeks later to tissue damage.

"I have seldom seen such an unfortunate outcome from what would be in properly trained hands...three reasonably simple plastic surgical procedures."

He believes that the operation, which took less than four hours, suggests "inappropriate haste with scant attention to meticulous detail".

The woman told the tribunal she was left to live with her disfigurements every day.
However she does admit that she had been happy to have all three procedures done in a single operation, against the advice of experts. She had told the surgeon to spare her the "gory" details of what he intended to do. Names are suppressed for the patient, the surgeon and witnesses who are currently in court.

The woman had breast reduction, abdominoplasty, and liposuction in a single four hour operation. At the time of the operation, the woman weighed 108kg, approximately 225 lb, and was morbidly obese with a body mass index of 37.

She did not research her plastic surgeon or the procedures she was interested in having. In fact, she said to a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal last week:

"I didn't really know what liposuction was - I just thought that I was going to have a nice flat stomach afterwards as a result of a tummy tuck.”

"(The doctor) told me that I was the perfect candidate because I had slim legs and no bottom, and I was going to look great when it was over."

"One of the things that has been hard for me is that I feel sort of guilty that I wanted cosmetic surgery," she said.

"I feel as though people will judge me for wanting it, and that has made this whole process very challenging for me, but I have pursued this complaint because I don't want to anyone to go through what I went through. I want other women to be aware of the risks."

It is so sad to see a woman feeling this way after surgery. The fact is, plastic surgery is becoming a part of daily life for millions of people through-out the world. Many people have endured multiple operations to correct minor imperfections. None of these people were faced with the nightmare this woman endured.

The truth is, this thing should never happen in today’s plastic surgery world. Plastic surgery is major surgery, and there are complications as there are in all types of major surgery. However, experienced plastic surgeons know how to ensure that patients receive the procedures they want in a safely.

In fact, plastic surgery clinics are working to minimize patient discomfort. A good clinic will have a regime for patients to participate in that is aimed at reducing discomfort, pain, and improving results.

Truth About Liposuction and Size Reduction

Cosmetic surgery is becoming a normal part of today’s society. It is no longer reserved for people who need their nose repaired. Now teens are going under the knife to achieve a perfect, polished look.

The cosmetic surgery world is inundated with hundreds of myths and horror stories, many true but grossly out of date, others complete fabrications.

One of the most popular procedures is lypo suction. In the early days this was a slow procedure. However, now, a patient can have several liters of fat cells removed in a single treatment. Yes, that treatment may take four hours, but the treatment is finished.

Many people who suffer with weight problems have more fat cells that store excess fat than thin people do. Liposuction removes those cells. Yes, you can eat enough to force your body to rebuild those cells, but you will not just ‘gain the weight back.’ Like some diet regimes claim.

However, do not expect to walk out of a major liposuction operation and into a size 9 or size 6. The operation leaves the body badly bruised and sore. It can take a month before the swelling subsides and a size 9 body appears instead of the old size 16 body.

Many patients are so happy with the new them that they work hard to keep the size. Maintaining a size 9 to 12 body is much easier than loosing enough weight to drop 5 dress sizes – a lot easier.

The cost of dropping 5 dress sizes? Approximately $5 – 8 000 depending on the clinic attended. Butt and thigh can cost about $6 000. 00. Tummy can cost about $3 000.00. Some doctors charge about $2 500 for the first area and $1 500 for each additional area. As you can see the cost varies, so does the treatment.

There are horror stories floating around that people who have liposuction can end up horribly deformed. These half truths do not point out that the bulging, bruising, and swelling that causes the person to be deformed is gone in a month – or so.

Many people do not realize that they can drastically improve their body by removing a simple 10 pounds. In some cases, that is all that is standing between fat and svelte.

People need to understand that liposuction is not a cure. Many doctors will not touch people who are too over weight, women in the 250 or higher range, because the women will put the weight back on within six months. Also, at this weight, many doctors will only work on one section at a time.

This can be a problem for those women who gain weight eating 1000 calories a day, and there are a lot of them. Many of these women think liposuction will remove their fat, and let them eat normally. Wrong.

Women who are more than 250 pounds may need more than one procedure, and may take as long as six months before their bodies adjust. There are shocks along the way. The swelling on one side of their body goes down faster than the other, not a drastic difference, but sometimes it is noticeable.

Even though many people have liposuction then leave the office, it is important to remember that it is surgery. Patients should research their doctors carefully, and never choose a procedure on price alone.


Ethan Miller advises on improving your heath and reducing pain from his web site at http://www.cosmeticsurgerystar.com He invites you to get his FREE health guide http://www.lasikpower.com

Plant Fats Reduce Cholesterol

New research published last October in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that patients with high cholesterol who are take high-dose statin drugs may reduce the damage to their hearts by supplementing their diets with foods rich in plant sterols.

High cholesterol -- hypercholesterolaemia –causes cardiovascular disease. Heart disease causes 50 percent of deaths in Europe, and costs the EU $202 billion each year.

The new research confirms previous studies by claiming that patients with high cholesterol can reduce their cholesterol levels by 8 to 17 percent by consuming 1.5 to 3 grams of plant sterols or stanols every day, which translates to a reduction in the risk of heart disease.

Researchers from the University Medical Centre Utrecht and the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands studied 20 hypercholesterolaemic patients who took the daily maximum dose of statin drugs -- atorvastatin or simvastatin, 80 mg.

The study split the participants into two groups: the first received 3 grams of plant stanol-enriched margarine per day (Johnson & Johnson brand Benecol) for six weeks, and the second group received stanol-free margarine each day for six weeks. Both margarines contained 62 percent fat.

At the end of the trial, the group given stanol-enriched margarine had a 9.9 percent reduction in plasma cholesterol and a 15.6 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol. Their levels of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) -- responsible for transporting cholesterol to tissues -- dropped by 10.8 percent.

Conversely, the control group only experienced a 7.7 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol remained the same, and ApoB levels fell by 6.8 percent.

"Intensive dietary intervention with addition of plant stanols results in clinically relevant reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in patients optimally treated with statins, compared with similar patients on statins receiving only standard care," the researchers wrote.

Mike Adams, author of "Grocery Warning," says this research should indicate to patients that plant stanols and sterols can actually replace statin drugs.
"Statin drugs are dangerous chemicals that can produce extremely harmful -- even fatal -- side effects," Adams said. "Replacing them with plant-based medicines under the care of a naturopathic physician can greatly improve the health of patients while greatly reducing the cost of their treatment."
Source: Newtarget.com


Some of these cholesterol lowering drugs have negative side effects such as memory loss, muscle fatigue, CoQ10 deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, sex hormone depletion and adrenal depletion.

This research confirms what naturalists have been telling the health industry for a decade. It is not eating fat that increases cholesterol. Eating animal fat increases cholesterol. In fact, switching from animal fat to plant fat can actually lower cholesterol.

Plant fats from avocados, almonds, pecans, peanuts, chia seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, and so on. If it's from the plant world, the fat is good for you – in moderation. The trick is to eat ‘raw’ fats, not cooked fats.

One serving of raw almonds a day can reduce the risk of heart attacks or stroke by 53 percent, according to the research quoted by Mike Adams. And raw nuts and seeds offer plenty of calcium, to replace dairy products. Chia seeds and almonds are both good sources of calcium.

The medical community is working toward finding healthy methods of lowering cholesterol but self-empowerment and personal responsibility is still the defining factor in survival rates.

Ethan Miller advises on improving your heath and reducing pain from his web site at http://www.adjustablebedshere.com He invites you to get his FREE health guide
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Important Facts About Face Lifts

One of the most discouraging aspects of a face lift is the fact that you will not walk out of the office looking beautiful. In many cases, a lot of people will not see the difference. The purpose of a face lift is not to return you to the beauty you enjoyed when you were twenty, or to make you beautiful, but to correct imperfections and reduce the signs of aging.

Plastic surgeons take a lot of time trying to explain to people that they will still look the same when they walk out of the office, but people listen and do not hear. This is in part to advertising.

Every single face lift clinic has the image of a young girl, a perfect eye, or a flawless completion in their ad. In fact, it can be shocking to look at the ads. I’ve seen ads with women’s bellies that were flawless. However, on a closer look I noticed that the woman’s belly was too fat – she had no developed womb. The ‘image’ that the doctor was portraying to his potential patients was from a pre-pubescent female.

This is often done when advertising face lifts. The skin of a very young person, under sixteen has an iridescent glow, a full, translucent quality, and an innocence that is emotionally appealing. There is a subliminal message there, ‘you can look like this again.’

Of course, we all want to look younger, but to expect a plastic surgeon to return your face to the beauty displayed in high school pictures is not only impossible, it is ridiculous.

Another thing that many patient do not hear is that plastic surgeons can only do so much. There is only a certain amount of skin that can be nipped and tucked before the face starts to look weird.

A 49 year old woman can expect to look 40, or even 30, if she has good healthy skin. It is impossible to make her look 20.

There are other considerations when having a face lift that includes the patients weight. A 200 pound woman will look foolish if the doctor removes the fat from her face, but leaves it around the rest of their body.

This means that the doctor may remove the lines, sags, and wrinkles, but leave the fat. But, this is not the only concern. A person with a lot of weight who wants extensive face lift surgery may see their face shape change, oval to round, round to oval. Only a surgeon can accurately predict what will happen.

This doesn’t mean that there isn’t good news. It is possible to exchange a tired looking, saggy face for a tighter, brighter face. It is possible to bring out one beautiful feature, eyes, nose, or mouth, and enhance its beauty in a way that adds a glow to the entire face.

And, it is possible, in many cases, for plastic surgeons to correct flaws that are not associated with beauty.

It is also important to understand that the face will continue to age. Jowls can reappear in as little as two years. Lines will reappear. A face lift is not a long term cure for aging.

But, understanding these things before you enter the surgeons office can make it easier for patients to pick the procedure that will make them feel beautiful and empower them so they can get on with living.

Ethan Miller advises on improving your heath and reducing pain from his web site at http://www.lasikpower.com He invites you to get his FREE health guide http://www.cosmeticsurgerystar.com

How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon

More than two million plastic surgery operations are performed each year. Whether the patient wants a little nip and tuck, nose job, or wants to drop five dress sizes, plastic surgery should never be taken lightly. It is surgery, and professionals are always preferable to the chain-store style of clinics.

There are always potential complications. Attending a clinic that is owned by a famous surgeon, who will pass you off to an associate, can leave you in danger. The fact is, some people spend more time choosing the carpeting for their home, or even what movie they will go to see, than they will spend looking for a surgeon.

In areas where plastic surgery is common, research is easy. Just ask everyone you know from your doctor to your hairdresser. Eventually, one name will start to pop up repeatedly.

One thing to find out is whether the doctor has hospital privileges. This tells a lot about the medical industry’s opinion of the surgeon. It can also reduce the risk of complications becoming chronic if anything does go wrong.

It has become common for plastic surgery to be done outside of the hospital. This reduces the peer-pressure that surgeons must undergo, it also increases the chances of a doctor who ‘failed’ in other medical fields choosing plastic surgery because it is easier to get into.

Today’s world of commercialized medicine makes it more difficult to find a good surgeon. It is very easy to pick out which surgeon or clinic has the best advertising agency, but this tells you nothing of the care you will experience at the clinic.

It is also important to decide what experience you want. For many, plastic surgery is an experience, like a vacation. They want plush carpets and expensive paintings in the waiting rooms. They want a spa type atmosphere. Other people want an, in-out, type of experience at bottom prices.

There are good and bad plastic surgeons at both ends of the spectrum. Any doctor can put board certified in an ad. However, their certification may not clearly indicate what specialty they're board certified in. In some cases, they may not be certified in the type of plastic surgery they perform. You can check what specialty a US surgeon is board-certified in at http://www.CERTIFIEDDOCTOR.ORG

The American Board of Medical Specialties is the only board recognized by the American Medical Association. Do not accept as ‘serious’ any other certification board.

Once you’ve narrowed down the doctors you are going to look at, it is time to start the consultation route. This is where bargain hunters make mistakes. Doctors charge for consulting, so the more doctors you check out, the more it will cost.

Even though this may seem like a waste of time, it is vital. It is important to find a doctor who will spend time with you. You don’t want a doctor who walks in, takes a quick look, and walks out.

You want a doctor who puts their hands on you and shows you what will change. Some doctors use a new computer imaging gimmick, and that is what it is, a gimmick. The computer programs are not sophisticated enough to take into account age, skin type, elasticity, how the body will swell, effects of bruising. Many patients who trust the computer image are left disappointed.

Surgery is a life choice, take your time, research well, and walk into the office with a realistic understanding of what will – and will not – change in your body.



Ethan Miller advises on improving your heath and reducing pain from his web site at http://www.asthmaroom.com He invites you to get his FREE health guide http://www. babyshowerstar.com